A bizarre set of tiny dressed fleas made by Mexican nuns a century ago have sold for £1,260 in Britain, following a bidding war.
The delicate art of dressing fleas in tiny costumes is known as ‘Pulgas Vestidas’ in Spanish and has been popular in Mexico for over 200 years.
The display, showing fleas dressed as farming couples in Mexican folk costumes on their wedding day, are believed to have been brought back to Britain by a traveller over 100 years ago.
The practice of dressing fleas is thought to have been started by Mexican nuns during the 19th century, later becoming a way of making money from visiting tourists.
The curiosities are so delicate that it is very rare to find surviving examples.
The delicate art of dressing fleas in tiny costumes is known as ‘Pulgas Vestidas’ in Spanish and has been popular in Mexico for over 200 years
The display, showing fleas dressed as farming couples in Mexican folk costumes on their wedding day, are believed to have been brought back to Britain by a traveller over 100 years ago
The curiosities are so delicate that it is very rare to find surviving examples
The fleas went under the hammer at auctioneers Woolley & Wallis, of Salisbury, Wiltshire.
They were acquired by an undisclosed British museum.
Mark Yuan-Richards, works of art specialist at Woolley & Wallis, said: ‘I had heard of these sets before, but this was the first time we had actually handled any.
‘They’re incredibly intricate for something so tiny and have already drawn a lot of interest from people.
‘They really have to be seen to be believed.
‘The sets would have come to the UK via tourists who acquired them in Mexico, but they are so tiny and delicate that it is no surprise that few examples have survived.
‘They would have appealed as a curiosity, especially to the late Victorians, who had an obsession with anthropomorphism – animals or objects with human characteristics.
‘Because these are such rare survivals, very few examples are recorded at auction.’